Unlike the carnival-like frenzy of the American Lamb Cookoff the day before, the James Beard Foundation’s Celebrity Chef Tour dinner was mountain chic and mountain mellow — a leisurely cocktail hour with six appetizers followed by a six-course dinner at Larkspur restaurant.

Thomas Salamunovich, the chef/owner of Larkspur restaurant and a little concept called Larkburger, and executive chef Paula Turner are the hosts of the event where each course is prepared by chefs of note: Hosea Rosenberg, “Top Chef” winner and owner of Blackbelly Market in Boulder; Kelly Liken of Restaurant Kelly Liken in Vail, a “Top Chef” contestant with numerous national accolades; Chef Brian Busker of Matsuhisa in Vail; and former Larkspur executive chef Armando Garcia, now of El Dorado Kitchen in Sonoma, Calif.

This is the first time that the Tour has stopped in Larkspur, a plus for both chefs and guests who may never get a chance to cook or dine at the James Beard House in New York. Paired with the Taste of Vail, the event attracted around 125 guests such as Vail resident Kim Bell Williams, who was given a quick lesson in shucking oysters by Sal Salazar, one of the many assistants for the evening. “This is my first time,” she said, watching closely. “I just like good food.”

It’s that kind of an event — and Williams and others got more than a taste of good food with each course, including the hors d’oeuvres, all of which showed great attention to detail. The dishes were complex yet simple, with intense flavors bursting from a dollop of two or three different sauces or garnishes.

The dinner once again was a reminder why chefs are chefs and home cooks are home cooks — who should invest in a good food dictionary. That and the fact that chefs are always thinking ahead. Mario Godey, the chef at Piatti’s in Cherry Creek North, came to the dinner with some of the Piatti family to cheer on Armando Garcia, who works for the same restaurant group in Sonoma. With so many uncooked offerings at the dinner, between the elk carpaccio appetizer and the tuna crudo course, he was already dreaming up dish possibilities. “I’m thinking beef carpaccio, something of that nature, raw instead of everything cooked.”

Paula Turner did the first course, a tuna crudo nicoise with spring shelling peas and olive tapenade and a two-minute quail egg, a play on tuna nicoise.

Brian Busker prepared the second course, bay scallops with avocado confit, dehydrated miso and an aji Amarillo vinaigrette, with tiny, perfectly formed carrots and zucchini topped with a small, yellow squash blossom — all just the right size for a doll house table. Hosea Rosenberg was finally able to showcase his pride-and-joy meats, with a layered salmon, lardo and potato terrine with charred spring onion vinaigrette.

Armando Garcia, who has a reputation for letting no food, not even a potato skin, go to waste, cooked Creekstone Farms wagyu strip loin with smoked potato skin purée, king trumpet mushrooms and sauce perigeux.

Kelly Liken handled dessert — a taste of spring, she said, with an almond financier, roasted rhubarb conserve, rhubarb sorbet, almond toffee crumble and petit basil. Pass the dictionary — along with the wines for each course.

Jeff Black, the director of the James Beard Foundation’s Celebrity Chef Tour, based in Boulder, says that the rock star of chef tours will probably stop off in Larkspur again. “We like to send the guests home happy and leave the restaurant happy.” Mission accomplished. — Marty Meitus

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